Angel of the Winter Winds
by Kellnoa's Sorrow
Summary: There is always one special pocket monster that can bring hope within the lives of people who have lost track of it.


**Angel of the Winter Winds**  
by Kellnoa's Sorrow

Winter had gradually settled in throughout the countryside, had slowly ravaged the landscape with its own harsh beauty. Rolling hills of soft blue-green grass had been covered in a white blanket of snow, undisturbed, its surface like that of silver in the hiding sun from a distance. The first half of the year had graced the plains with occasional areas of great emerald forests, but the last half had stripped the trees naked, leaving them to groan in protest as their auburn hides were exposed to the bitter wind. Out behind the country stood towering giants of rock, monuments of nature that had kept watch over its land for countless ages. They had remained unchanged, however. The snow that capped the peaks of the mountains remained there all year instead of the season.

Up above, an endless sea of clouds brought about harsh winds from the north, thick and numerous enough to consume the sun from the land. Occasionally they would break apart, allowing the powerful rays of the glorious heat to take its fury to the snowed grounds. But the freezing temperature would nullify its power, and instead would aid the clouds in adding more snow to the earth, just as it was doing now. They worked in silence, which had spread throughout the area, only broken by the inaudible collision of snow and snow.

In the skies, the clouds that hovered over the edges of this winter wonderland detoured from their normal gray and grayish-black appearance. For brief seconds, they would turn a slight blue, only to revert back to their original color as the next group of clouds did the same. However, it was not they who were responsible for the change. It was from another source, one that gave off a faint glow, which flew gracefully through the wind. One that seemed unearthly, that appeared not of the realm of the earth, nor the universe.

As it flew, the clouds began to part before it, and collect again behind it. If there had been a being to observe it, which there was none, it would have classified it as a fantastic creature that seemed to have control over the skies, flying gracefully, mastering the art. Had there been a being, it would have thought that it put others who could fly to a low shame.

Above the clouds where she flew was a clear blue sky, marked with great towers and figures of vapor through which it flew like a pilot of a plane. She performed an aerial ballet, flying straight up, then curving back in a never-ending circle, her slender body nearly touching head to tail. She picked up speed as she ceased the shape, weaving herself through the obstacles with experience, causing tiny tufts of blinding white clouds to follow her, not reaching very far. She then made a sharp dive into the clouds, not minding as the gas rushed past her at a great speed, though it never moved. Just as fast as she entered the fake ground did she escape it, exposing herself to the solid world below, leaving the aerial one behind.

The creature's wings spread as far as she could, letting soft gravity take control of its flight in a wide glide. She began to descent, and as she did, she took in the world around it with wide eyes. In a short amount of time, she was close enough to fly a few feet above the white sea, without getting any lower. She was quickly approaching one of the many bare forests in the area. Slightly rising in altitude, she passed over the tops of the trees before making a sudden halt, hovering in the chilly air. Then the creature began a spiral descent.

**:*:-:*:**

The creature bent her body over the waters of a raw pond, its face still wet than solid. She looked over at the image that stared back, and cursed it with a mental fury. In her mind's eye, she saw a hideous face, belonging to a hideous beast. Unlike the rest of her kind, she could not escape it; she had to carry it around with her for the rest of her life, instead of being able to leave it behind.

The beast was her past, one that branded her soul and made her heart impure. Because of one simple mistake she had made that she could not be responsible for, one mistake that the elders of her kind hideously condemned, she was doomed to lead a life full of strife and sadness, one of exclusion. She would be alone for the rest of her life, and would have to struggle through life carrying this burden.

With a wrenched heart, she smacked her tail into the water, disrupting the image, though she imagined that it was still there no matter what she did. She lifted her eyes away from the rippled mirror, to look away from the returning image, only to find her eyes resting in the gaze of another.

**:*:-:*:**

He had been taking a walk through the forest near his home, contemplating the events that had led to his life that had gone astray. He was currently left alone in the world, though he hadn't always been like that. Everyone that he knew, that was close to him, had died. His mother had died at his birth, his father a year later in heartbreak. He never knew them, but had loved them anyway for bringing him into this world. He had grown up in an orphanage, and had set out on his own when he came to the age where they considered him able to fend for himself. It was a harsh life, where he had to civilly fight for what he had in life.

Many years later, he had married with a woman who he loved dearly. At first, she seemed to return the love back. But as the years progressed, she seemed to love him less and less, yet he loved her more and more. She eventually passed away from a bout of pneumonia, which had shook him up very badly. He never had children with her, and shortly after her death, he had moved out into the country, sure that he would never be able to love anyone else ever again. That, or he was afraid, as everyone he loved had died. Whichever was true, he mourned it everyday.

He unintentionally stumbled into a clearing, which he knew contained a pond at the far end. It seemed to be the only place of comfort for him, to be able to see the only other thing that he loved: the natural wonder of Mother Nature. And unlike the harsh life that he had led, it never changed, and always managed to cheer him up from time to time. But nothing ever stays the same; everything changes.

That was why he could only stare in awe as he entered the familiar clearing in what he could only describe as a fantastic creature, with the only words out of his slightly gaping mouth being "Oh God."

There was no doubt in his mind that it was a Pocket Monster, though it felt wrong to call it a pocket "monster", as it was anything far from it. From his ancient schooling, he was able to bring up the creature's name. It was a Hakuryu , a dragon type, but looked so much different, so much better than an ordinary one. This Hakuryu had a slender body that was slightly longer than the other ones that existed, to him in pictures. Also different from the norm was the coloring of its body. Instead of the normal sky blue with the white underbelly, it was almost pure white, blending in with the white snow around it. There was a hint of blue that was visible only when it shifted its position in the light. The blue aurora that it gave off made it the light color easier to see.

His mind almost fainted from the beauty it possessed as he continued to study it in his mind. The semi-long horn that extruded from its gentle head seemed to be made of a combination of ice and ivory, if that were possible. It gave off its own glow of swirling hues that would rival the Aurora Borealis. It wore three pearls on its body, having the same sky blue color as her (he could just tell it was female) fellow Hakuryu , but each holding an inner light. From each side of its head stood miniature wings, appearing soft and feathery, instead of looking hard like those pictured.

But what really set it apart from other - were its eyes. Instead of being coal black, he could see eyes like those of a human, huge and oval in shape. They were both red and blue, each color blending in and yet distinct, if it were possible. The man couldn't help but stare at them, convinced that he could see the soul of the pocket monster in the depths, as he felt she could see his.

**:*:-:*:**

The gaze of both creatures never broke as they stood unmoving and silent. A connection, a bond seemed to form between the two, like two kindred spirits finally found. An ancient and sacred bond between man and pocket monster. For once in their lives, they felt the pain they carried beginning to ebb away from their heavy hearts. It had taken a long time, but as they continued to stare, a feeling of content began to settle into the two.

As they stared, the iciness of the north wind began to pick up, causing the snow on the ground to gently jump into the air between them. Hakuryu began to lift itself into the air, not breaking contact with the man. Its human half. She wanted to stay, but the wind began to pick up in strength, lifting her light frame into the air. Her wings took on a soft glow as they enlarged, the gentle light diminishing as two broad, heavenly wings succumbed to the wind, their colors also changing in the light.

With a small cry, the creature began to take to the air, heading above the man. The man reached one hand up to the air, his fingers gently lacing through the soft and short fur of the creature's pure white underbelly. As the pocket monster - no, angel...angel of the winter wind - began to take flight towards the clouds, the man began to feel the sadness returning, growing the more the distance between the two increased. He continued to stare at the creature until it was lost amongst the gray clouds of the sky. Lost to him forever, just like the rest.

He lowered his eyes to the ground, where a lone white feather shivered, half buried in the snow. He reached down and picked it up, looking it over in his hands. And as he did, he slowly understood. And the happiness returned.

Hakuryu is a Dragonair, in case you didn't know.


End file.
